GOP State Senator Disrespects Texas History & Culture

The Texas legislature is currently considering a rather stupid bill that would outlaw "sanctuary cities" in the state of Texas -- even though no one can name a single one (if they exist at all). The main thing the bill would do is to turn local and state police into immigration officers, giving them the authority to question those they stop who may not be citizens (Hispanics) and arrest them for violating federal immigration law.

This bill is nothing more than a political bone to be thrown to the brain-dead teabaggers who control the Republican Party in Texas. Anyone who thinks turning local and state police into immigration officials is a reasonable way to deal with the more than 11 million undocumented aliens in this country is not living in the real world. It would not only hurt farmers, ranchers and business people, but it would be physically impossible to actually arrest and deport any significant portion of that population.

But while it is just a false solution to the immigration problem, it could have a seriously negative effect on our communities -- especially in the area of criminal justice. That is why police officials in El Paso, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Ft. Worth, and Austin are opposing the bill. The police in these and other Texas cities have spent decades trying to form a trusting and workable alliance with the undocumented community, and their success in this has paid real benefits -- both in the reporting of criminal behavior and in helping police to catch the culprits and convict them. If these local police must act as immigration officers they will lose the trust and help of the undocumented community, making the state a more dangerous place for all citizens.

But this is already understood by many (except for the teabaggers who think complex problems must have simple answers). What I really wanted to discuss was something that happened as this bill was being considered in a Senate committee. Here is how the Fort Worth Star-telegram described it:

At one point, a man with the Austin Immigrants' Rights Coalition testified in Spanish with someone else translating his comments into English. The man mentioned he came to America in 1988. After about 2 minutes, Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, interrupted him.

"Why aren't you speaking in English?" Harris asked.

The man, clearly flustered, explained that he was more comfortable testifying in Spanish, his first langauge, since it was his first time delivering testimony.

"it's insulting to us," Harris said. "It is very insulting. If he knows English, he needs to be speaking in English."

Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, was quick to add in that, just like witnesses, "Senators are also entitled to speak their personal point of view and may not be speaking for everybody as well."

The man finished his remarks in Spanish.

Frankly, I am shocked at the remarks of the GOP senator. He is obviously ignorant of Texas history and culture. The fact is that Spanish has been spoken in Texas since the mid-1500's, and it was not until nearly 300 years later that English-speakers began to populate the state. To question anyone's right to speak Spanish in Texas is simply ludicrous.

I know that some teabaggers would respond that the Texas War of Independence from Mexico changed that. But this was not a war of an English culture defeating a Hispanic culture. Many of those who died in the Alamo and many of those in Sam Houston's victorious army were Hispanics (and Spanish speakers). It was a war for independence -- not a cultural war. And both as a country and then as a state Texas has always had a significant Hispanic accent -- in culture and language. It is something that real Texans are proud of.

The gentleman testifying in Spanish before the committee did not insult Harris or any of his colleagues. But Sen. Harris did insult all the citizens of Texas (of all races, colors, and languages). And he showed no respect for the history and culture of the state he is supposed to represent. He should be ashamed of himself.